The present invention relates to a wind turbine and, in particular, to a gearbox interposed between a rotor of a wind turbine and an electrical generator.
It is known to use a planetary gearbox to drive an electric generator in response to rotation of a rotor of a wind turbine. The rotor provides a low speed, high torque input to the gearbox. The gearbox provides a high speed, low torque output to the generator. This type of gearbox has been used in this application for many years. It is also known that the planet and sun gears of such a gear box, and the bearings associated therewith, are subjected to high torque loads and thus suffer from high rates of wear and failure under such demanding usage.